Chance Encounter
by unbelievableboredom
Summary: Lost in the woods, and being chased by a walker Sophia is saved by an unwilling survivor. There are endless possibilities. Set during season 2, alternate universe, contains oc.
1. Chapter 1

She ran for as long as her legs allowed, the fear of those _things_ following her was too great to do any less. It wasn't any good, she was making too much noise; her throat was raw making each breath louder than the last. Leaves and twigs crinkled underfoot, they would hear her from a mile off. _Just move, you have to keep moving. There's nothing else._

_Fuck. Shit. Stupid, stupid, stupid._ She was starting to panic, her ears hearing nothing but the drumbeat of her heart and each sharp breath. Tears pooled in her eyes, threatening to spill over. _What can I do? No options, no choices, nothing._

Scared and hopeless she stopped everything. Each foot barely moving now, her body crumpled against a tree. Her fingers splayed themselves across the rough bark and for the first time since she left the hotel she smiled, albeit weakly. _I can climb._

The 50-foot trees were the only cover in the forest she found herself in; they had no other use for her. She had no idea what kinds there were or if any part of them were edible, all she saw was the choice between the big scary city overflowing with reanimated cannibals or a forest that could hold anything. She chose the unknown.

She made it over half the way up before stopping; the limbs would be too small to support her any higher. Hugging the tree, she took everything in to process. It had been six weeks since the outbreak and two days she'd been on her own. She was in a state she'd never been to before and had no resources. _How stupid am I? Not even a weapon?_ The monsters had managed to overrun her hotel almost month ago; looking back it was a miracle the place had held up for that long. _Must've been because there was so much fresh meat outside. _She'd only arrived there five weeks prior, back when everyone thought this unknown disease would blow over like the flu. Hardly anyone took it seriously until they saw it happen, but it was already too late by then. The entire city was taken.

_No point worrying about it now. Just find your way back to the basics, gatherer girl. _Her eyes widened as the words left her thoughts. Hunting or gathering, how was she to get food? She was raised in the city learning numbers and words all her life, not survival skills. Her eyes drifted over towards the birds' nest on a neighboring tree. There was a five-foot gap between the trees._ Not worth it, _her mind told her while her stomach argued the validity of jumping. Her body was too tired to do anything, for now, food would have to wait. She'd have to raid a store at some point, but for now going back to the city was not an option.

She rummaged through her pockets hoping against all hope there was something to be found. Six sticks of gum, and a coupon to the art museum from the hotel were her rewards. _So useful_, she shoved half a stick into her mouth anyway and dropped the coupon to the ground below.

Half lidded eyes followed the piece of paper as it twirled in the light breeze, wondering why the world had decided to go to shit as soon as she got hers together. She tried to glare at the coupon as it made the final drop but couldn't hold it up for long. She made the decision to leave home when the world had ended and she couldn't blame anything else. Swallowing her gum and sighing deeply she shut her eyes not opening them as she positioned herself in the branches.

It was the screams that woke her, it sounded like a frightened child. Her whole body ached and it looked like midday, _why am I awake?_ It was some idiotic kid, one who managed to attract those monsters and dragged them over here, to _her_ tree. _I always hated children,_ she thought as she shimmied down the tree. Now she had to distract those freaks to save some stupid kid.

"OVER HERE!" she yelled as she dropped to the ground.

Between the brushes appeared a girl. She glared at the small human. _She'd be a teenager in a year or two; does she really deserve this much help? _Ignoring the thought, she grabbed on to the girl's arm and yanked the idiot behind her, looking for rocks nearby. The monster came through not five seconds later. Still holding on to the preteen she ran. After five minutes of absolutely nothing but the trees, there was a small camp. A hopeful grin flitted onto her face for a split second as she shoved the girl towards it. _I can do this. I can save us._

"Grab me something scary!" she shouted, crazed. Turning around she didn't have to wait long for the creature to run at her. She sent an angry punch at the thing sending it to the ground, immediately it tried getting up again. _I can't do this._

"NOW WOULD BE A GOOD TIME, KIDDO!" she screamed. The girl had stopped in place, holding of all things a walking stick. She kicked at the beast and ran towards the worthless kid snatching away the stick. _Her eyes are so scared._

"Turn around and don't watch," she managed, as an afterthought, spinning back towards the monster. It was back on its feet and headed her way, roaring. Not taking the time to prepare herself she swung her stick at the monster's head. It stumbled back and she kept going, each swing striking it down further until it didn't make a move back towards them. The stick fell from her limp hands and she breathed again.

She was about to turn towards the girl before realizing how horrifying she must look. She tore off her bloodied button up, wiped the gore off her body with it and used the thing to cover the bloody pulp that was once a human face. Turning back towards the child she walked up and grabbed onto her hands. Attempting a smile, she introduced herself.

"I know you're scared but you don't have to be with me around," she lied easily. "My name's Nat, and I'm going to protect you."

A/N: I'm really new to writing ff so any help is welcome. I'm not sure where this story is heading so if you have an idea or want certain characters to play a larger role just say so and I'll try to work it in.


	2. Chapter 2

_Stupid, stupid, stupid. _She berated herself for everything, she could hardly take care of herself and now she was responsible for a child. After she killed the monster she tried to calm down the emotionally scarred girl. Apparently her name was Sophia, she was twelve years old, and was chased away from her group by a herd out by the highway. The girl, Sophia, looked ready to cry by that point and Nat saw no point in delving further.

Nat had no clue on handling children; they were a mystery and one she didn't plan on figuring out. She hadn't had to deal with kids ever since the world ended and assumed they were the first to go, the closest being an annoying teenager who made great walker bait in her last group. _Walkers, it makes them sound almost lovely._ That was the name Sophia and her group used, Nat didn't think they should have a name. _They shouldn't be real._

Frowning at the pointless thought she looked back at the tent. Something in there was rotting and Nat needed to check if it would get back up again. Then she remembered her new responsibilities.

"I'm going to check the tent for supplies, you wait here, alright," the girl acknowledged the order with a swift, sharp nod.

Inside it was even worse, a decomposing male sat in a chair gun in hand, his mind blown across the tent._ Smart man, sad, sad, smart man._ Deciding against taking the sleeping bag she only took the gun and a salvageable bag. Stepping out and inhaling the fresh air, she looked at the girl. She doubted trees would be an option for sanctuary at this point.

She gathered up all the edible food and picked up her new walking stick, handing a box of crackers to Sophia. She crammed the food in her new bag and dropped a lantern in as well after making sure it worked. She looked at the gun left in her hand and shoved it into her waistband, _just like they do in movies, 'cept I don't know how to use 'em._

She distracted herself by looking over the girl noting that she was wearing capris, _stupid_, had short hair,_ better_, and hers shoes were soaking,_ what the hell was this kid doing?_

"We have to get moving while there's still light, Sophia." Nat told the girl before asking, "Do you know where they are, erm your group?" She was already forgetting how to speak to people.

"They're all on the highway," Sophia mumbled, _they must be the only group she's had._

"And do you know what direction that would be?"

Sophia was silent for a long time, lost in thought.

"It's alri-," Nat tried before being interrupted by a light voice.

"Keep the sun on your left shoulder," Nat frowned at that, it would only work during part of the day and in possibly two opposite directions. She tried the instructions facing the way they had came and noted it made the small tent on their right. Seeing no other options she started walking. Sophia was quick to follow.

Neither spoke for half an hour before a man stumbled by, soon noticing them and looking ready to shoot. He was wearing the classic hunter garb and holding a threatening rifle. He looked old, fat and ill suited for a world where he was prey. Luckily, he looked like one of the few stable people left in the world; she'd take a risk. _Let's hope he's not the eating human kind or decides to kill us before we have a chance to explain ourselves._

"We're not bit," Nat stated with more courage than she felt. "You seen a group out here? Anyone looking for a girl named Sophia?"

"No, ain't seen no one for weeks," _well, that was a lie._ He did, however, look shaken at seeing them; _idiot actually thought he was safe in the wild._ This man was definitely part of a group not looking around for more mouths to feed.

"Can you at least point us in a direction of somewhere safe to stay for the night?" She asked hoping for something. The hunter looked conflicted, seeing such a small child he wanted to help, bring them to his group but another adult was unnecessary.

"There's what's left of a town nearby but the houses aren't safe, best stay here," he looked at Sophia. "I can take the girl somewhere safe."

She eyed at the girl, suddenly aware of the tight grip Sophia had on her arm. _When faced with two evils always take the evil you know._ The priority would be to get the girl somewhere safe before the night but Sophia had a group of her own, possibly a family. She wanted to trust the man, but pure instinct wouldn't be a valid excuse for handing over a child's life to a complete stranger.

"Sorry," Nat said to the man, not meaning it. "I'm not handing over my girl to some stranger with a gun."

Suddenly, his firearm was raised at her, a grim look set on his face. "This stranger with a gun ain't givin' you a choice. I'm not letting a child die in the forest while I could've done something to stop it."

"So your logic is to shoot this kid's protection, and expect her not to run in the opposite direction, all to bring her to safety?" Nat was irritated now. _I may not like kids, but I don't pawn them off to asshole hunters. _Nat suddenly remembered her not so hidden weapon; she hoped the threat would be enough.

"You don't have any shelter, or protection to give; I do. I'm saving her life." The man was inching towards them. _Oh, great one of those assholes, he actually believes what he's saying._

"If you're just as nice as you're leading me to believe," Nat licked her lips. "Let me say goodbye to her," Nat knew his answer. Sophia was already voicing her stresses.

"Please, _don't let him_ take me, I just wanna go back, _please take me back_, I'll do anything, just don't let him-" she was crying again, clinging to Nat's tank top.

Nat's voice was low and close as she knelt down to talk. "I'm not letting anything happen, just stay close." She looked at their surroundings. It was more trees, _how surprising._ Her eyes back on Sophia who was crushing her box of crackers, _oh Sophie, not the supplies. _Not so subtly, Nat slid the box away into her bag.

"Hold onto this for me," she said handing the satchel to Sophia. Nat lifted herself with her walking stick to her standing height and beckoned Sophia to follow. When they a foot from the hunter he was smiling at them,_ so fake_.

"I'm sorry for doing it this way but it's for the be-," his apology was soon cut short by Nat's walking stick. _Why the idiot didn't notice the dried walker blood on it, I'll never know._ Nat hit him a second time and grabbed his rifle throwing it fifteen feet. She pulled her gun from her waistband and pointed it at him.

"You will not follow us, you will not talk about us and you will be thankful I didn't kill you for this," Nat knelt down and wrapped her arm around his throat her grip tightening. "Oh, and if you wake up have fun finding that ammo for your rifle."

He struggled but the few blows she pulled against him threw off his coordination long enough to keep him at bay until he passed out. Sophia was staring at her speechless.

"_What's wrong with you?_" She whispered, horrified. She took a step back. "You_ killed _him_." Oops._

"Don't worry about him, he's fine he'll wake up in a few minutes," _I think. _She felt his wrist and waited. It was barely there. "He's even got his pulse back." She smiled at the girl while the girl stared back.

"You're just as scary as _Daryl_," Sophia was still looking at her like she kicked a puppy.

"Well I bet you'd feel safe with Daryl on your side, wouldn't you?" Nat snapped. She stood up glaring at the girl, remembering all the reasons why she hated people. _Ungrateful brat._

Nat headed towards the man's gun struggling to unload it._ End of the world and I can't unload a rifle._ When it finally worked she threw all but one in different directions and dropped the last next to the rifle. Stepping on the hunter's chest as she passed, she moved on with her limited directions.

"If you're coming with me, you should be looking for trees you'd like to sleep in."

A/N: again just send in requests for things you'd like to see. Plots? Characters? Romance?

basically what i'm sayin is you could ask for Nat to end up with dale and I'd think about it.


End file.
